Academic quarter? Demo? Faculty? For the definitions of these and many other words and concepts related to university life, see this vocabulary.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y
A
Absent student is a student who has not paid the annual student union membership fee and who has registered as absent for the academic year. Absent students cannot attend or complete courses, they do not have access to UEF services and are not entitled to student benefits or financial aid.
Abstract a brief summary at the beginning of a research article.
Academic quarter is the salvation of late risers. Lectures and lessons at the university start 15 minutes after the full hour, unless otherwise specified. E.g. a 10–12 lecture starts at 10.15. If the lecture or lesson was specified to start at 10.00, it will start at ten o’clock. Exams always start on the full hour.
Academic subject is a unit that provides teaching in a specific field of study. Studies in an academic subject are grouped into three stages: basic, intermediate and advanced studies. Major subject means the academic subject to which the student has been accepted to complete their degree. Students must complete all three stages of studies in their major subject. A student’s other academic subjects are called minor subjects.
Academic semester consists of two periods and is a part of the academic year.
Advanced studies are studies that can be started after completing the basic and intermediate studies. Advanced studies were previously called laudatur studies.
Agora is one of the buildings at Joensuu campus. Agora is situated opposite to Carelia and houses the schools of theology and humanities, among others. Agora also has a café.
AHOT see Recognition of prior learning
Alumnus or alumni is a person who has graduated from university.
Alumni study right is a non-degree study right. Students that have completed their Master’s degree or PhD degree at the University of Eastern Finland have the right to complement their studies after graduation with alumni study study. You can activate the alumni study right on the degree application form when you apply for your degree. Alumni study right is coordinated by contact persons at the faculties and you can ask for further information from the Student and Learning Services.
Amanuensis refers to one of two things, depending on the context:
- An amanuensis is a faculty employee who primarily works as a study counsellor, but whose duties may also include administrative and IT tasks and teaching.
- An amanuensis can also be a medical student who interns at a hospital as part of the mandatory training included in a Licentiate of Medicine degree and/or during clinical studies. The amanuensis is simultaneously an intern, a hospital employee and a student receiving practical instruction and training in the application of theoretical medical knowledge. The goal is that during the amanuensis period, students expand their knowledge of the practical side of the medical profession.
Annual sticker see: Term sticker
Annual registration is mandatory for all the degree students. Bachelor’s, master’s, licentiate and doctoral students are obligated to register for each academic year in advance as being either present or absent.
App is short for application.
Appro refers to approbatur, the old name for core studies of around 15 credits in scope.
Aurora building is located at Joensuu campus at the address Yliopistokatu 2. On the first floor of the building is the group workspace Lounge. In Aurora, you will also find the Student and Learning Services as well as Business and Law Schools.
B
Bachelor’s degree is an undergraduate degree of 180 credit points (three years).
Bachelor’s thesis is the first university thesis completed by students. As the final project in a bachelor’s degree, it is included in the degree requirements. A maturity test on the thesis is also required for a bachelor’s degree.
Basic studies see: Core studies.
Blended learning makes use of a variety of teaching and learning methods: independent study and group work, and contact instruction and web-based learning. Study methods in blended learning may include learning assignments, exercises, lectures, small group work and guidance.
Boilersuit or student overalls is an article of clothing worn mainly at student parties. Boilersuits are commonly worn by students at universities and universities of applied sciences. Students sew patches to their boilersuit as memorabilia received at student events or exchanged with other students. The colour of the boilersuit and the university’s or student union’s logo on the back indicate the bearer’s place of study and study programme.
Book exam is taking an examination on the literature associated with a course. Literature specified in advance or agreed with the examiner is read for the exam.
Borealis building is situated on the Joensuu campus and houses the school of forest sciences (entrance A) and office for the philosophical faculty (entrance B).
Bunsen ry is the student association for chemistry major and minor subject students at the University of Eastern Finland Joensuu campus.
C
Campus means the university area. The University of Eastern Finland has two campuses located in cities Joensuu and Kuopio.
Canthia is a building on the Kuopio campus. It houses Oppari and other spaces for independent study as well as a student cafeteria.
Carelia building is situated in the centre of Joensuu campus. In Carelia, you’ll find the university’s largest library, largest auditorium (C1) and a student cafeteria. In the lobby, you will also find Infospot, the information point for Joensuu campus.
Centre for Continuous Learning offers university studies for everyone. It offers individually tailored guidance and counselling services and a broad range of opportunities for competence development.
Certificate of student status see: Study certificate
Core studies are a study module of roughly 25 credits for learning the basics of the academic subject.
Course is the basic unit of studies that covers one subject matter or theme. Courses may be divided further into smaller partial study attainments that together form the course. The scope of each course is defined in credit points.
Course books are the required reading for each course. The university’s libraries have a separate collection of course books that holds at least one copy of every course book used at the university. Some course books can be loaned out, while others can only be read at the library. Some course books are also available as e-books.
Credit point (cp) equals to 27 hours of studying. Study work may include e.g. lectures, exercises, seminars, presentations, excursions, independent work, etc. During one academic year you are expected to complete 60 credit points, which equals to 1600 hour of work. At the University of Eastern Finland one credit point equals to one ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credit.
Cross-institutional studies are one form of educational cooperation between universities. Cross-institutional studies provide students with an extensive offering and can include, for example, minor subject studies or individual courses at another university or tailor made courses in curriculum organized in teaching cooperation within a thematic network.
Curriculum describes the mission and academic and professional goals of education, the degree structure and its included courses and their scope, descriptions of the courses, and a plan on the organisation of study counselling and personal study plan (PSP) guidance for students of the academic subject or study programme. The descriptions of courses describe teaching and learning goals, the topics to be taught and studied, study and completion methods, and the evaluation of study attainments. The curricula for each academic subject are confirmed by the Faculty Council and published as study guides in Peppi. See also Study regulations, section 20.
D
Dean leads operations at a faculty and acts as the chair of the Faculty Council. The Dean and Vice Dean are elected from among the professors of the Faculty Council. The Dean directs and supervises the faculty’s operations and serves as the Chair of the Faculty Council. The Dean of a faculty signs the faculty’s student admission decisions and degree certificates, for example.
Degree structure is the detailed structure of each degree, as confirmed by the faculty and based on requirements laid down in the Government Decree on University Degrees.
Degree studies refer to bachelor’s, master’s, licentiate or doctoral studies that lead to a degree.
Delve is a M365 discovery tool that can be used to find the contact details of UEF people and documents to which you have access rights, such as your own documents in OneDrive and the documents that are shared with you in Sharepoint.
Demonstration or Demo is a more practical and hands-on form of learning compared to a lecture.
Dentina ry is the subject association for students of dentistry. More info: dentina.fi, Facebook (Dentina ry)
Department is the smallest unit in which teaching and research is organised. A department may have one or more academic subjects.
Diploma Supplement (DS) is an attachment to the diploma intended for international use. It contains additional information on the degree in question, on the educational institute, and on the education system of the country in which the diploma was issued.
Dissertation is a thesis that forms part of doctoral degree studies, defended by the author in a public examination of the dissertation. A dissertation can be an independent study or a combination of several articles or publications.
Distance exams usually refer to supervised exams booked by the student themselves and held off-campus.
Docent is a person who has the capacity for independent research as demonstrated by publications or some other manner, and has teaching qualifications in their own field. Docents can also participate in research work.
Doctoral defence is a public event in which the person pursuing the doctoral degree publicly defends his/her dissertation.
Doctoral studies are studies taken after completing a Master’s degree. Doctoral degree is the highest level of degrees in the university. At the University of Eastern Finland, doctoral school and the associated doctoral programmes are responsible for arranging scientific doctoral studies.
E
E-book is a book that is available in an electronic format.
Echo is the English students’ association at UEF. All students majoring in English are welcome to join Echo.
ECTS credit see: Credit point.
Educa is a building at Joensuu campus at the address Tulliportinkatu 1. Educa houses the department of social sciences. There is also a café in the building.
Electronic exam is an examination that can be taken by the student any time they want, using the electronic Exam system.
Epsilon is the student association for students majoring in mathematics and physics at the University of Eastern Finland.
Essay A short piece of writing in which a specific topic is discussed from various perspectives based on source literature. Writing an essay can serve as an alternative way of completing a course.
Exam is short for examination. It also refers to the electronic examination tool Exam.
Examination is a formal test that you take to show your knowledge or ability in a particular subject, or to obtain a qualification.
F
Faculty is the university’s administrative unit led by a dean; inside a faculty there are departments, schools and academic subjects. Faculty is also used when referring to academic staff members i.e. professors and senior lecturers. We have four faculties: Philosophical Faculty, Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, and Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies.
Faculty Council is the highest decision-making organ in the faculty’s administration. The Faculty Council also has student members.
Fides Ostiensis is the student association of the students majoring in western theology in UEF.
Flexible study right studies or JOO study right studies: undergraduate and postgraduate students of all the Finnish universities have the opportunity to include in their degree minor subject studies from the offering of other Finnish universities regardless of the university in which they have the right to complete their degrees.
Flipped learning means changing the teaching so that subjects are studied independently before they are discussed in a lesson, and during the lesson new issues learned are being analysed and put into practice.
Forms is a Microsoft 365 tool for creating web surveys and polls.
Freshman or fuksi is a first-year university student learning the ropes of university life and the student community.
FSHS is short for Finnish Student Health Service, a nonprofit responsible for providing healthcare to university students. Services by FSHS cover everything from basic healthcare to specialised medicine and dental care.
G
General examination/exam is for taking an exam on predefined literature.
Godis is the student association for students majoring in Swedish language.
Gradu or Pro gradu, see: Master’s thesis
Guild is a student association for technology students.
H
Heimo is the name of the Microsoft 365 Intranet for faculty and staff members.
HOPS is PSP in Finnish. PSP stands for personal study plan that is a feasible plan on the completion of the target degree. It typically lists the studies to be included in the degree and a preliminary timetable. Students prepare their PSP’s in their first year of study and update it as their studies progress.
Hyeena ry is the subject association for students of environmental sciences and applied physics at the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio campus.
I
Individual study arrangements refer to measures previously known as special arrangements. Students who have an impediment or a disability can request individual arrangements.
Infospot is the hub for the latest news on campus. At Joensuu campus, it is located at the lobby of Carelia and at Kuopio campus, in the lobby of Snellmania. At Infospot, you can read the latest news from the university on an info screen, read brochures published by the university, and more.
Intermediate studies are a study module of roughly 35 credits, to be started after completing the core studies of the bachelor’s degree.
Iskra is the student association for students majoring in Russian language at the University of Eastern Finland.
ISYY is the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
J
Joensuun Metsäoppilaat is the student association for students of forestry at the University of Eastern Finland.
JOO Flexible study right studies – undergraduate and postgraduate students of all the Finnish universities have the opportunity to include in their degree minor subject studies from the offering of other Finnish universities regardless of the university in which they have the right to complete their degrees.
Joraus is the student association for students of subject teachers’ studies at the University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu campus.
Judica is the student association for law students at Joensuu campus.
K
Kamu is a digital working environment for students, i.e. where you are right now.
Karonkka a traditional post-doctoral party to honour the opponent after the defence of a dissertation.
Kassos is the student association for students in expert training in educational science and adult educational science at the University of Eastern Finland Joensuu campus.
Kotex is the student association for students of craft and home economics teacher studies at the University of Eastern Finland Joensuu campus.
Kulti is the student association for students of biomedicine.
KuoLO is the student association for medical students at Kuopio campus.
Kvantti is the guild aka student association for students majoring in technical physics at Kuopio campus.
L
Language centre is responsible for language and communications studies at the University of Eastern Finland. In addition to mandatory degree studies, the Language centre offers elective courses open to undergraduate, postgraduate and international students as well as university faculty and staff and external customers.
Laudatur may refer to advanced studies or the highest grade given for a thesis.
Lecture is an oral presentation given for the purpose of teaching.
Lecturer is a common title for teachers at the university. Lecturers are usually required to hold at least a master’s degree.
Legio Ostiensis ry or Legio is the subject association for students of specialist legal studies in the Law School of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies at the University of Eastern Finland.
Licentiate studies are studies taken after completing a Master’s degree. At the University of Eastern Finland, doctoral school and the associated doctoral programmes are responsible for arranging scientific licentiate studies.
Literature review is a summary of another text without adding anything to it.
Lounge is a space designated for independent study and group work. It is located on the Joensuu campus on the 1st floor of the Aurora building, next to restaurant Aura.
M
M365 see Microsoft 365
Major subject Studying at the university is based on a major subject or study programme. Major subject means the academic subject in which the student has been granted the right to pursue a degree. Major subject studies comprise basic, intermediate and advanced studies in which the focus is on the content, key concepts, theories and research methods of the discipline or academic subject.
Master’s degree is 120 credits (two years). A bachelor’s degree or other comparable studies must be completed before applying to a master’s programme. In the study programmes for medicine and dentistry students complete directly a licentiate degree (150 credits and 2,5 years).
Master’s thesis (in Finnish gradu or pro gradu) is an academic paper written at the end stage of advanced studies with the aim of enhancing student academic research skills.
Maturity test is taken in writing on the same subject as the bachelor’s or master’s thesis. The maturity test is for demonstrating that the student is familiar with the discipline of the thesis, as well as the student’s language proficiency.
Meal subsidy is part of the student benefits. Discounted meals are available in most of the campus restaurants.
Melania is a building at Kuopio campus on Yliopistonranta.
Metria is a building at Joensuu campus at the address Yliopistokatu 7. Metria is home to e.g. department of physics and mathematics.
Microsoft 365 service offered by the university includes e.g. e-mail, personal storage, co-working spaces, digital notebook and Office tools.
Mikrovillus is the tight-knit and active student association for biology students at Joensuu campus.
Minor subject In addition to major subject studies, the degree structure often includes minor subjects. The nature, scope and amount of minor subjects varies between degrees; you need to check the study guide for potential restrictions.
Moodle is a browser-based online learning and work environment. Many courses at the university use Moodle to share study materials and submit assignments, among other functions.
N
Natura is one of the buildings at Joensuu campus. Natura is located at the address Yliopistokatu 7. Natura houses e.g. the department of environmental and biological sciences and a campus restaurant.
Nefa–Joensuu is the student association for students of cultural studies.
O
Office 365 see Microsoft 365
Oidipus is the student association for psychology students at the University of Eastern Finland.
OneDrive is a personal file storage space in Microsoft 365.
OneNote is a Microsoft 365 digital notebook for making and sharing notes and minutes.
Oodi or WebOodi was our student register until it was replaced by student and study register Peppi in 2022
Open University see: Centre for Continuous Learning.
Opossumi is the student association for students majoring in career counselling at the University of Eastern Finland.
Oppari is a space that students can use for studying independently or in a group, and where IT support is available.
Opponent is a person who takes an opposite position in a debate. An opponent for a dissertation, for example.
Optimi is the student association for business students at Joensuu campus.
P
Personal study plan (PSP) The student’s plan outlining which studies to take, how, when and in what order. A person designated by the academic subject can provide assistance in drawing up the personal study plan; they can be the personal study plan supervisor or the tutor for the academic subject.
Pistis is the student association for students of orthodox theology.
Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s words, images or other work without their permission or appropriate reference to the source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional, but it is always against good scientific practice and prohibited in university studies.
Plagiarism detection system Turnitin is used to check the authenticity of all theses and other written works. The system identifies sections of the text that have been used in other works. The system is used as a teaching and guidance tool for academic writing. It is also used to check the authenticity of each thesis.
Poikkeus is the student association for students majoring in special education at the University of Eastern Finland.
Popsi is the student association for students majoring in class teacher studies at Joensuu campus.
Postgraduate studies are studies taken after completing a Master’s degree. Postgraduate degrees include licentiate degree and doctoral degree and at the University of Eastern Finland doctoral school and the associated doctoral programmes are responsible for arranging the studies.
Praxis is the student association for students of public policy, sociology and philosophy at the University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu campus.
Preemio is the student association for business students at the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio campus.
Present student is a student who has paid the student union fee and has registered for the academic year as present. Only present students can complete courses and benefit from student discounts and financial aid.
Primo or UEF-Primo is the university library’s search service for printed and electronic materials. In Primo you can renew loans, make reservations and save your favourites.
Printing quota is the student’s remaining amount of pages available for print. If necessary, you can top up your printing quota with your credit card or by visiting at Oppari.
Professor is a public servant with a doctoral degree, who conducts academic research, steers research carried out in their academic subject, and teaches in their own field of expertise. Professors usually act as the chair for an academic subject.
Proseminar is a intermediate studies course for familiarising students with academic research. The proseminar course includes writing a short study.
Pruju is a Finnish slang word for lecture materials used in a course.
PSP counsellor is a university staff member who will help you in planning your studies and making your personal study plan.
R
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) refers to a set of practices and procedures that can be used to assess the prior learning of the student and to approve that learning as part of the student’s studies.
Registration students must annually register as present or absent.
Representative council is the highest decision-making body of the Student Union. The representatives are elected every two years. All student union members have the right to vote in the council election.
Retikka is the student association for students of clinical nutrition.
RPL see: Recognition of prior learning
S
Science Park building is located at Joensuu campus at the address Länsikatu 15. Tiedepuisto houses the school of computing and a campus restaurant.
Scientific paper All teaching at the university is based on scientific research. Up-to-date research data is obtained from Finnish and international scientific papers, among other sources. The university’s teaching and research staff are also involved in authoring scientific papers.
Serveri is the student association for students of computer science at Kuopio campus. For Joensuu campus, see Skripti.
Sharepoint is a workspace at the Microsoft 365 environment. Your study community is likely be a Sharepoint space.
Skripti is the student organisation of the students of computing at the Joensuu campus. For Kuopio kampus, see Serveri.
Snellmania is a building on Kuopio Campus. Snellmania is situated in Yliopistonranta next to Savilahti. Snellmania has a student cafeteria, and the university library can also be found in the building.
Socius is the subject association for students majoring in social sciences at the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio campus.
Special arrangements see: Individual study arrangements.
Student association is an independent, subject-specific, student-led organisation. Student associations gather together students who study the same subject, which allows for them to get to know their peers and work together in the field of student advocacy.
Student card is one of the most important possessions of any university student. Your student card is your proof of identity and your ticket to student health services at FSHS, reduced price lunches and many more benefits.
Student union membership fee is mandatory for all undergraduate students who have registered as present at the university. The student union membership entitles you to all the ISYY services and a number of benefits. The membership fee is determined annually by the Student Union.
Study certificate is an official document that you can use to prove you have a study right at the UEF and that you have registered as present at the university. You may download a digitally signed study certificate in Peppi.
Study community is a community formed for students of a certain discipline to bring relevant information available in one place. Study communities are located in the M365 Sharepoint environment and require login.
Study coordinator is a university staff member who helps new students in planning their studies, for example.
Study guide is a faculty-specific or discipline-specific catalogue that contains the degree structures and information on the courses. Study guides are part of Peppi.
Study module is made up of several courses of a similar level that form a larger unit, such as the core studies, intermediate studies or advanced studies of a curriculum. Academic subjects in which the student has earned at least 15 credit points (or 20 credits some subjects) are also recorded in the degree certificate, even if the studies do not make up a full study module.
Study programme is a multidisciplinary is a curriculum for which scientific (and also very often professional) objectives have been set. A study programme does not necessarily comprise major and minor subjects.
Study week is an outdated way to define the scope of a course, in which one week amounted to 40 hours of work. The study week has been replaced by credit points.
Subject combinations The degree studied comprises usually a major subject and one or more minor subjects, which together form the subject combination for the degree.
Sulo is the subject association for students of early childhood education studies at Joensuu campus.
Summer School is a two-week study option held in August at both Joensuu and Kuopio campuses. Students all over the world participate in the Summer School activities.
Syllabus is a programme confirmed annually by each faculty that lists the courses and teaching to be organised in each academic subject during the academic year. Syllabuses are published in the study guides in Peppi.
Sway is a tool in Microsoft 365 to create, publish and share presentations.
Sykettä is a sports service for students and staff at the University of Eastern Finland and the Karelia and Savonia universities of applied sciences offering affordable and varied sport services. Users of the service can try out a wide variety of different forms of exercise in the campus cities, from zumba to futsal.
T
Teacher qualifications determine the degree and studies required to work as a teacher.
Teams unites all the Microsoft 365 tools for collaboration.
Technopolis is a building on Kuopio campus. Technopolis houses the business school.
Terho ry is the student association for students majoring in nursing science, health economics, public health, health and human services management sciences, health and human services informatics, sports medicine, and ergonomics.
Term sticker is a sticker that you must attach to your plastic student card to prove that you have paid your student union membership fee. The sticker can be fetched from the Student Union office in Haltia (Joensuu) and Studentia (Kuopio) buildings. If you are using an electronic student card, you do nod need a term sticker.
Thesis is an academic paper and a requirement for all university degrees. The different thesis types are bachelor’s thesis, master’s thesis, licentiate thesis, and doctoral dissertation.
Tiedepuisto aka Science Park building is located at Joensuu campus at the address Länsikatu 15. Tiedepuisto houses the school of computing and a campus restaurant.
Tombolo ry is the student association for students of geography, human geography, environmental policy and environmental law at the University of Eastern Finland. The association is active at Joensuu campus.
Turnitin is the plagiarism detection system used by the university.
Tutor or student tutor is a UEF student who has volunteered to help new students at the beginning of their studies.
Tuudo is a mobile app to support studies.
Transcript of records contains all the completed courses, given grades and earned credit points.
Transfer application procedure (in Finnish only) allows students to switch major subjects or study programmes. Transfering is possible at Bachelor studies only.
Täky ry (“Bait”) is the student association for students majoring in Finnish and literature at the University of Eastern Finland.
U
Undergraduate degree refers to bachelor’s degree of 180 credit points (three years).
V
Varnitsa is the student association for students majoring in history at Joensuu campus.
W
WebOodi or Oodi was the online service of the student register in the past. In 2022, it was replaced by student and study register Peppi.
Y
Yammer is the university’s main internal communication channel for students and staff. Yammer has a list of ready groups that can be joined. A particularly useful group to join is the your study community group.
YTHS see FSHS